New Rolling Stone article-beware

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

so, Polk's pro slavery stances don't bother you?

[SmoothOprtr]

I don't recall reading that Polk thought much one way or another on the slavery issue.  He was an extremely religious man, but given the circumstances of the country at the time, I suppose he could be guilty of doing nothing to eliminate slavery.  Regardless, while I obvious in no way condone slavery, I think it's tough to knock Polk for an institution that was in place well before he arrived and well after he left (and required a Civil War to eliminate).  He did nothing to promote slavery in the terretories acquired from the Mexican War.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

He did nothing to promote slavery in the terretories acquired from the Mexican War

ah, therein lies the rub.  he also didn't do anything to prevent slavery in the territories.  in fact, it could be argued that the whole war was fought to create new territories south of Arkansas to allow slavery to expand (as allowed by the Missouri Compromise of 1820)

[SmoothOprtr]

You could argue that, but I'm not sure how much historical support you'd dig up... The US got California and parts of Az, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah from winning the Mexican War.  Slavery never existed in any these areas (at least legally).